Try-Out FAQ's

FC Westlake – Try-Outs FAQ’s

Is my child good enough to play select soccer? Any player that enjoys the game of soccer and has played at the academy or recreational level is eligible to try-out, select soccer has many different levels and the goal of FC Westlake is to offer select soccer to all the families of Westlake who would like to play

Is FC Westlake & WYSA now competing with Lonestar SC? No, the 2 clubs are working together at many levels of the game with a common goal of keeping as many players engaged in soccer as possible. The 2 clubs have agreed not to recruit players from each other and will work towards placing everyone who wants to play at the appropriate level/location

What are the different levels of Select Soccer Division I (DI), Super II (SII), and Division II (DII) are the 3 levels beginning at U11, as teams age up there are more levels available however FC Westlake teams will be primarily these 3 levels

What age group is my child in and what does ‘U’ stand for? The “U” stands for “under” which means players in that league are Under 11 years old. The ’00, ’99, etc. references the year the player was born if prior to July 31st and is typically used for select soccer teams. This is illustrated in the Age Group chart on the web site

Do I have to register for Try-Outs? Yes, all players must pre register for try-outs, there is no fee to register, but you cant attend unless you have registered. Registration is on the web-site www.westlakesoccer.com

Does every player that attends try-outs get offered a roster spot? No, teams are selected based on ability and numbers of players trying out, unlike Academy where every player is placed on a team, at select some players are not offered roster spots

How and when do the goalies tryout? GK’s will be evaluated along with their age group at tryouts. Most select teams will pick ‘full-time’ goalkeepers

Who is going to coach the FC Westlake Teams? The new teams will be coached by a combination of our existing academy staff members and some new professional coaches that we hire depending on the number of teams formed

Will there be a limit on how many teams are formed? No, there will not be a limit on the total number of teams formed, however the professional coaches will decide at try-outs based on the level and number of players available how many teams to form

Will players from outside of Westlake be able to try-out? The FC Westlake program is being established to primarily offer families in the WYSA program a place to play select soccer, you don’t have to be in Westlake or have played in Westlake to try-out, however if you live in an area the Lonestar SC already serves you should try-out for that location

Do you register commit for a season or the year? Select soccer is a yearlong commitment i.e. both fall 2014 & spring 2015. If you are unable to commit for the entire year please talk with one of our directors prior to try-outs

The Academy program ends at U10, when does FC Westlake end? The FC Westlake program will run from U11 to U18 for players/teams who desire to keep playing, however in the beginning we will be focusing on forming teams primarily on younger age groups

If I choose not to try-out for FC Westlake what can my U11 player do? WYSA will be still offering our regular recreational program for U11-U18 players

How often do select teams travel or play out of greater Austin? At the younger ages most select teams don’t travel far, most leagues are within the greater Austin area, some games might be in San Antonio. There are no games in Dallas/Houston/South Texas at the younger age groups (some teams may attend a tournament in Houston or San Antonio)

What is the difference between WYSA & Lonestar? WYSA & Lonestar are 2 separate non-profit organizations who work closely to provide soccer at as many different levels and locations as possible within Austin. Lonestar SC fields teams at every age group & level of competition, FC Westlake allows players who are not selected for ‘central’ teams at U11 and above to play select soccer within the geographical boundaries of Westlake

Is financial aid available? Financial aid is available to families that need it, the financial aid process will require an individual review by WYSA and approval will be based on the overall needs of everyone applying

What happens after try-outs? Coaches will meet with the players and parents at the field and offer roster spots. Parents will have 24 hours to complete their child’s on-line registration, any players not registered within 24 hours will lose their roster spot. Please note teams are built in order of ability, some players will be offered a spot on the first night, some will be offered a spot on the second night

What is the cost to play select soccer? Fees range from approx. $1300 - $1600 for the entire year this fee includes everything from registration fees, training fees, tournament application fees, uniform fees etc.… FC Westlake’s fee structure is an all inclusive one, most clubs have their registration fees then parents are asked to pay extra for unfirms, tournaments, volunteer buy-outs etc.… The exact break down of fees is available upon request and will also be listed on registration paperwork after try-outs

When an offer is made to join a team will the practice schedule & location be known?

We might know, but not necessarily; however, this information will be available shortly after tryouts conclude

How often do teams practice? Teams practice twice per week for 1 hour per session

Do select players get equal playing time? Only at the SII and DII levels are players guaranteed 50% playing time at each game, unless a player is on a ‘no play list’ due to overdue training fees or because of attendance and/or disciplinary problems

When will practices begin? Practices will begin sometime in August, there will be a mini camp included in the registration fees to start the fall season

Do the training fees include tournaments? The fees include all qualifying and play-off tournaments associated with the league your team plays in along with one ‘invitational’ tournament in the fall and one in the spring. The fall tournament will typically be ‘labor day weekend’

Is the uniform fee included in the fees listed? Yes. (See attached uniform package)

How long are the uniforms used? The uniforms remain the same for 2 years. Players will be able to purchase additional pieces if they grow out of them